Mateo Flores
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| Medal record | |||
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Competitor for  Guatemala |
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| Pan American Games | |||
| Gold | Mexico City 1955 | Marathon | |
Mateo Flores (born Doroteo Guamuch Flores on February 11, 1922[1]), is a former Guatemalan long-distance runner who won several international events, most notably the Boston Marathon in 1952.
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[edit] Career
Flores was born in Cotió, Mixco, a town near Guatemala City. During his early athletic career, Flores worked in as a low-paid laborer in a textile factory. He would wake at 4:00 am to run for two hours, and run an additional two hours after returning from work at 6:00 pm.
Flores' career spanned from 1941 to 1957; prior to winning the 1952 Boston Marathon, he was the winner of multiple international races, notably the marathon at the 1946 Barranquilla Games, the half marathon at the 1950 Central American and Caribbean Games in Guatemala, and the marathon at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City. He also participated in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
[edit] 1952 Boston Marathon
On April 19, 1952, Flores participated in the Boston Marathon, a major international racing event. He took the lead from his countryman Luis H. Velasquez after the first ten miles, and, against any predictions, finished ahead of U.S. competitor Victor Dyrgall by almost five minutes, recording a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 53 seconds.[2]
According to the official site of the Boston Marathon, beginning 1951, the course of the marathon was 1,183 yards short. The deficiency was corrected in 1956. However, Mateo's performance remained a national record in Guatemala for the next 17 years. On a chilly morning of December 14, 1969, Doroteo Guamuch's record was broken by Julio "Grillo" Quevedo. His time for the official distance of 42.195 kilometers (42,195 meters): 2 hours 29 minutes 4 seconds.
[edit] Controversy
The Boston achievement made Flores a sports icon in his country, and the Guatemalan government paid him tribute by renaming the national stadium in Guatemala City to Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores. However, although he was treated as a national hero by the Guatemalan government, which also awarded him the Order of the Quetzal (the nation's highest civilian honor), government authorities showed trepidation in regards to Flores' indigenous ethnicity. The most vivid example of this is that the national stadium named in his honor used his Ladino version of his given name, Mateo, rather than his indigenous name, Doroteo Guamuch.[3]
[edit] Life after retirement
Flores became a Professor of physical education after his retirement. He has also been a golf caddy and occasional player. He is a practicing Roman Catholic.
[edit] See also
[edit] References and footnotes
- ^ Source: (Spanish) "Famous Guatemalan persons: Mateo Flores" - www.deguate.com
- ^ Race summaries from the Official Boston Athletic Association and Boston Marathon web site - www.bostonmarathon.org
- ^ Source: http://www.efdeportes.com/efd101/flores.htm
[edit] External links
- (Spanish) Mateo Flores: racismo y nación en Guatemala - www.efdeportes.com - Biography and career
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